LESTER MOAK, born Dec. 10, 1921 in Brooklyn, N.Y. where he saw the great flier Lindbergh in parade on Bedford Ave. after the magnificent flight to Paris. Hanging around Floyd Bennett Field as much as possible, since he was almost consumed by his desire to fly, he saw some of the record- breakers of the trans-Atlantic and trans-continental days and others including "Mr. Mulligan"; the "Joseph LeBrix" (east-to-west trans-Atlantic); Dick Merrill and Harry Richman's ping-pong-ball-loaded double Atlantic crossing "Lady Peace"; Amelia Earhart and her twin-engined Lockheed; Al Williams and his "Gulfhawk" and a squadron of the early biplane "Hell Divers" which were stationed there.

That was where he experienced his first airplane ride in a Waco biplane in 1934. On the 18th of April 1942 (co-incidentally the day of Gen. Doolittle's Tokyo raid), armed with parents' permission certificate, he went to 39 Whitehall St. in N.Y.C., volunteered for Army Air Corps pilot training, passed written and physical exams and was on his way. He preferred the Navy but did not have the required college credit and as it happened the Navy was successful in its mission without his services.

He trained in the S.E. Command (PT-17, BT-13, AT.I0, AT-9) graduating at Albany, Ga. from where he was sent west to LaJunta, Colorado for B-25 transition and then to Greenville, S.C. for B-25 crew training. Greatest experience was the flight overseas for this kid who wanted so much to fly. Issued a new B-25-H (75mm cannon, fourteen 50 cal. guns, no auto-pilot, no co-pilot controls) an ATC navigator the wonderful adventure took him across the north coast of S. America, Ascension Island, across the middle of Africa, around Arabia and to operations in India, Burma and China.

Imagine the thrill a new airplane, the equivalent of a gasoline credit card and permission to fly half way around the world. Every time he looks at Lindbergh's "Spirit" at the museum in Washington he feels a deeper and deeper respect for that '27 flight.

After a tour with B-25s he was assigned to 10th AF Hq. in Assam, India where he flew Hq. staff, sprayed DDT over the combat areas of Burma, worked radar calibration and used L-5, C-45, and B-25s. Requested by and transferred to the Theater Hq. at Calcutta, India to fly staff of Gen. Stratemayr. That is where he became "qualified" in the "Jug".

In addition to the use of C-47, C-60, C-46 and B-25s in staff work all over the Theater including "Hump" flights, he found there were other aircraft available for some extra-curricular flying. . . when he had time (180 hrs. flying in 2 weeks of a monsoon month with the other half of the month grounded with India brand "GIs").

He flew a Dauntless (Army A-24) once around the flight pattern as a transition trainer before checking himself out in the razorback Jug. Probably had more thrills in fewer hours than any Jug Jock who knew what he was doing. The opportunity to fly the Jug was very important since his kid brother Stu was driving them to business every day in the ETO with the big 9th AF.

Decorations include DFC and Air Medals. Les lives in Chevy Chase, Md. now. Married 34 years to Phoebe they have a son Roger who is an attorney in NYC, a married daughter, Nancy (with grandson Adam) and daughter Mindy.